The New England Patriots are 4-3, in first place as usual in the AFC East. They are averaging an NFL-best 31 points per game. Yet there's a perception their offense isn't creating enough style points.

Part of the reason is quarterback Tom Brady has a sub.-100.0 passer rating and is on pace to fall short of 30 touchdown passes. Brady told Boston radio station WEEI on Monday with the Patriots' passing game raising the bar the previous two seasons, he knows they can still look a whole lot crisper.

“We’re trying to do it," Brady said. "It’s not like you flip a switch. I don’t think that’s it. There (are) 53 guys that are trying to do their best out there, and we’re just not doing our best. Hopefully we get to that point.

"Maybe we’ve just spoiled some people in the meantime."

When the Patriots brought back Josh McDaniels, the offensive coordinator who helped them score a single-season record 589 points in 2007, it came with the expectations that Brady and friends could flirt with a similarly prolific total in 2012.

But New England is built differently with tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez as the core of their offense. They also have a deeper stable of younger running backs, and it's also clear Brandon Lloyd isn't the big-play outside wide receiver that Randy Moss was back then.

The Patriots' offense has become so consistently good that in a two-game stretch of close games through Week 7, there are concerns when they go 1-1 while combining for 52 points.

In Week 8, the Patriots travel overseas to play the St. Louis Rams at London's Wembley Stadium. The last time they played there, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009, they rolled to a 35-7 victory.